Simple Baby Blanket Suggestions?

[linaelyn]

I'm nothing like an expert knitter -- I don't even have a knitting icon uploaded! I've have my first sock on the needles for the past six months, and I can't seem to get it right, no matter how many times I frog it out and start again! But a dear friend is having a baby in April, and I think if I work with a really nice yarn, I can make a baby blanket from a simple pattern.

Anyone have a favorite they'd like to suggest? (Ravelry links work for me.)

Thanks!

Comments

[ghoti]

this is kind of a boring pattern, but i've made a bunch of these in blanket sized -- probably ~150 stitches across at the widest. stripes are bonus.

[damned_colonial]

I was going to suggest exactly this.

[jumpuphigh]

I just whip up my own baby blanket patterns from scratch but if you can't find one you like, let me know and I'll sit down and count out stitches from the one I'm doing now and write up a pattern for you.

[melusina]

If you don't mind knitting uphill, this pinwheel baby blanket is very simple and and pretty.

[girlpearl]

+1, this is my favorite baby blanket.

[patelyne]

Oooo that one's nice. Saving for the next baby blanket I make. I usually just crochet diagonal block stitch, this would be a nice change :)

[commodorified]

The baby blanket we made last year:

Cascade 128 Superwash, 4 skeins. For your local weather you may want Cascade 220 Superwash, 6 skeins, for which I can also give you directions.

6 mm needles, we used longish circulars. For 220 use 5 mm needles.

Cast on 84 stitches to give 24 inches (With Cascade 220 c/o number to give 24 inches according to the label, as precision is not that important).

Row 1: K2 P 2 to end
Row 2: work back (knit knits, purl purls)
Row 3: P2 K2 to end
Row 4: work back

Repeat

If making blanket in a solid colour, keep doing this until you have 24 inches of blanket, more-or-less.

If striping: with 128, change colours every 16th row. With 220, change every 20th.

Finish by working i-cord around entire blanket.

(This is how I did it then. How I would do it now, for the same look but less messing about at the end, is to make an 84-stitch i-cord, pick it up on a needle to make a cast-on, work the rows as:

Row 1: K3, K2, P2, at least 3 Slip 3
Row 2: K3, work back to last 3, Slip 3
Row 3: K3, P2, K2, at last 3 Slip 3
Row 4: K3, work back to last 3, Slip 3
Repeat

And then bind off with i-cord.

This is easier than it looks and I can talk you through it.)

[eviltammy]

I think the one I did is about the same as the Grandmother's Favorite, just from a different source.

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/eviltammy/diagonal-pattern-baby-blanket-knit

Very easy - garter stitch, yarn over, knit 2 together.

[silverceri]

I very much enjoyed making a feather and fan pattern baby blanket. My version of the pattern can be found here: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/silverceri/feather--fan-lace-baby-blanket.

[liseuse]

I knit the Big Bad Baby Blanket (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/big-bad-baby-blanket) for my cousin's new baby, and it was a fairly easy knit. The only issue for me is that I was remarkable loathe to give it away. It's so snuggly. I really need to knit it in an adult size.

[maab_connor]

when i need to whip up a baby blanket - i usually do a basket weave. it's fast to knit and the texture is engaging for a baby; also it'll look like alot of work for the new mom.

i put a straight knit boarder around the whole thing so it doesn't roll up.

CO about 150 of a nice baby weight - K 13rows - k 10 (boarder) - k 10 p 10 for 13 repeats - k 10 (boarder). turn and k 10 (boarder) p 10 k 10 for 13 repeats. continue for 13 rows then switch and k where you used to pearl (excluding the boarder that is always knit). i usually eyeball the length then do another straight K 13rows to close the boarder.

10 is an easy number to keep in mind while you're knitting, that's why this is such an easy pattern, our brains like to count by 10. 10x13 is a good square.

[neeuqdrazil]

I did Anne Hanson's Cradle Me (Rav link) in a superwash sock yarn (rather than the DK called for in the pattern) and it was wonderful, and beautiful, and really easy to knit.

It's charted, yes, but there are only 8 rows of patterning (purl back) and every 4 knit rows is the same, just off by a certain number of stitches.

Plus, it looks way more complicated than it is.

(And I'm actually pondering knitting it in an aran weight as a throw for our couch.)